The Sou'wester Vol. 80 No. 28 Rhodes College Wednesday, March 24, 1993 M Scholars Have Party To Benefit Disabled by Emily Flinn Scholars, as well as other Rhodes Staff Writer students who simply came and joined On Saturday, March 20, a party was in the fun. The students mingled with held in the pub for a group of people the visitors, introducing themselves with physical disabilities. The party and getting to know one another. was hosted by Bonner Scholars and Games were played to help break the Day Scholars from Rhodes, in con- ice and introduce everyone, and there junction with the Memphis Center for was even "Sit down Square Danc- Independent Living. ing," in which everyone could par- The Center, which began operating ticipate without even standing up. eleven years ago, is a nonprofit group Everyone enjoyed the music provid- which seeks to aid people with ed by singer/guitarists Turner and disabilities in fully integrating their White. lives into the community at large. The party helped to make many They provide information and refer- students aware of the difficulties for rals on resources available to people people with disabilities. Many with disabilities, on everything from buildings, including some of the older making a home wheelchair accessible ones on Rhodes campus, are not easi- to securing employment. The center ly accessible to people with also offers support programs, in- disabilities, especially those who use cluding the PALs program, in which wheelchairs. The restrooms in Hassell a child is paired with an adult with a Hall had to be used, since the ones in The new mail services policy might make this site even more common. similar disability, in order to provide the Student Center were not accessi- a positive role model. ble. Bradley stated that there are many The Party was a community service changes which could be made to make project of the Bonner and Day Rhodes more accessible, that would Mail Services: Return To Sender Scholars, students who receive not be difficult to accomplish. Even by Brent Moberly months of the new system, it will take service) deliver to the institution," she scholarships on the basis of their par- such things as the way door handles Associate Editor a letter that has no box number longer said. "The institution is required to ticipation in community service ac- and light switches work must be taken into consideration. Even though Elvis lovers relish Return to Sender. to be delivered than it would for such distribute the mail. If there is not suf- tivities. Many of these students met with Pam Bradley, Assistant Director Rhodes is a private school, it does Rhodes students don't - not when a letter to be delivered under the pres- ficient information to locate the ad- ent system. Lewis estimated a two to dressee, then the mail is redirected. As of the Center, and Ken Hoover, the receive some federal funding, and they envision masses of letters therefore must have some sort of stamped "return to sender" not three day difference in delivery time. irritating as the policy may be, it's new Coordinator for the Center, After the six month grace period, let- legal." earlier in the week to learn about how outline and timetable of changes to be because they are improperly address- made in order to be more accessible, ters without the box number will not But is the lack of a box number to talk and act around people with ed, but because they lack the four digit according to the Americans with box be delivered; they will be sent back, enough to qualify a letter as insuffi- disabilities. They leained proper ter- number required by the mail Disabilities Act. The Act has set room's new delivery policy. Return to sender. ciently addressed? The mail room, minology to use, such as saying a per- son "with a disability" instead of say- guidelines which businesses and in- Starting next semester (Fall 93), all The Return to Sender clause has after all, does have a list of students ing a person stitutions must follow. mail addressed to students must in- been the source of much student con- that contains each student's box "inflicted" or "suffer- ing" clude a box number. Mail that does not cern. "I am aware that the mail room number. If the letter is addressed to a from something, as well as basic Bradley stated that she chose Rhodes include this number will be redirected. is trying to become more efficient," current student, and the name appears politeness, like talking to someone in for this project because she knew that According to Bill Lewis, director of said Junior Dave Killilea, "but it will legibly, then is the mail room justified a wheelchair on their own level instead there would be students willing to mail services, such stringent measures be difficult for me to contact in redirecting a letter? The question of towering over them. volunteer. She praised the students for are needed to insure that students com- everybody that I think will write me then becomes one of the amount of ef- The party was attended by par- their hard work, and their ability to ply with the new policy. and give them a new address. I can't fort required (or not required) to deter- ticipants in the newly formed PALs make the guests feel at ease and have The new policy assigns each student contact every mail order company in mine the addressee. program and many Bonner and Day fun. a permanent box. Students retain the America. I don't have a problem with Many feel that the mail room is not same mail box until they graduate. getting mail late, but I do have a pro- justified in redirecting a letter. "I Boxes vacated by departing students blem with not getting the mail at all." don't think we should suffer from a Room Draw Information are assigned to incoming students. Bill Lewis claims that the Return to change," said Killilea, "It's a service Rising Men Women Rising Men Women This system, according to Lewis, not Sender policy is in accordance to the provided to Rhodes, and they should Juniors Sophomores only eliminates the yearly need to US postal systems domestic mail provide that service to us." 6:00 1-60 1-70 7:45 1-60 1-70 recall and redistribute boxes, but also guidelines. "We're a miniature post "We have to resort to extreme 6:15 61-120 71-140 8:00 61-120 71-140 allows faster, more efficient delivery office," he said, "we can do measures," said Lewis, "if we didn't, 6:30 121-180 141-210 8:15 121-180 141-210 of mail. "The new system won't just everything a post office can do, and nobody would comply. Our goal is 6:45 181-240 211-280 8:30 181-240 211-280 help us deliver mail," said Lewis, we have to follow the same rules." reach as close to 100% usage of the 7:00 241-291 281-362 8:45 241-291 281-362 "but it will help clubs distribute mail- A representative for the Postal Ser- box numbers as possible. If students 7:15 292-330 363-395 9:00 292-330 363-395 ings to their members." vice stressed that the mail room is not will bear with us, they'll see a signifi- The present policy does not require an official post office. "Don't call it cant change in the way their mail is a box number because postal boxes are a post office," she said. According to processed." Failure to arrive by the assigned Roaten in the Dean of Student Affairs assigned to alphabetical order. The this representative, Lewis is operating "Of course they'll become more ef- time will result in the next number be- Office. exit of graduating seniors and the in- within postal system guidelines. "The ficient," said Killilea, "if they send ing called. Class status is based on year of flux of incoming first year students, law requires only that we (the postal half our mail back." All students on the wait list will be graduation and not on number of however, requires that boxes be recall- assigned rooms after April 1. academic hours. ed at the end of each academic year Lewis Answers Other Questions About Mail Services Eligible students who have If you have a disability which re- and reassigned before the start of the The $.50 package handling fee: deposited and fail to select a lottery quires you to have access to a certain next. Lewis complains that the yearly Fifty cents is added to all priority mail packages over $2.90 and to all UPS, number will have to choose from room type please contact Judy Roaten allocation of postal boxes is both time Federal Express, and Express mail packages. Lewis said that this charge among remaining numbers. To do so, in the Dean of Student Affairs Office. consuming and labor intensive. "It is is necessary because these carriers charge a fee to pickup packages from you will need to come to the Dean of You must present a physician's state- expensive," said Lewis, "for us to Rhodes. Student Affairs Office as soon as ment documenting this need. take up mailbox keys, sort them, and The prioe of stamps In the stamp machine: possible. Failure to show up for lot- Remember, students have until May re-issue them next year." He also Two post card stamps (19 cents each) cost fifty cents, one first class stamp tery selection and room selection will 1 to receive a refund on their housing complains cents) costs forty cents, and two first class stamps cost seventyve cents.